glucosamine chondroitin for Young Dogs

I was talking to another Lab owner who does Dock diving with her dog and she had recently gotten a chocolate pup that would be doing it also. The older lab was only a year or a little over a year old. I don't remember how the conversation turned to glucosamine chondroitin but she was saying that she started the first dog on it at about 7 months...that with the dock diving it's not a bad idea.

I have personally seen what glucosamine chondroitin can do for an older dog I had my GSD/Husky on it for probably 4 years and I could see that it helped with his arthritis.

So I talked to my vet this morning about it. I was wondering if I should put Emmett on it now, was there an advantage to it?? She told me that she has not seen any studies on using it as a preventive... but she also doesn't see the harm in doing so. That the only time she is wary of it is if the dog is diabetic. She gave me the dosage and told me that it was my decision, she was fine if I gave it to him or if I didn't.

The vet put BJ on it at less than a year after a limping episode. He is 4 now. The vet suggested a human grade one (CosaminDS) and I get it at Costco. I just drop BJ's capsule whole into his food and he eats it. I sprinkle the beagles capsules over their food.

As the vet said - there is absolutely NO proof that using it as preventative helps in any way. so really, whatever makes you feel better

Having said that, I started Rocky on Glug/MSM/CH in the past year or so (he is now 7). I had bought some of the "pet" kind but it was like $50-60+ a bottle (maybe even $70) but now I just use human grade stuff at $20 or less a bottle (and cheaper if you go with Costco or whatnot). I simply could nto justify the cost as Rocky HAS no issues. Obviously if you have a dog that has joint issues I can see why you may opt to go with those more costly ones earlier.

Belle (almost 13) has been on it for close to 11 years. Kodi (now 6) has been on it since she was about 6 months. Hoss, for whatever reason is not on it. I know it helps Belle, and once Kodi was on it, has had no issues. (I started Kodi on it when she was having chronic limping issues, and it turned out she was really out of whack in her cervical vertebrae. Once I got those adjusted, there were no more problems (that could not be explained by getting T-boned by her brothers), but I kept her on G+C anyway.

I buy the human grade stuff when it is on sale at Meijers Buy One Get One Free.